The purpose of this study was to identify the major academic challenges that students faced in using Awgni as a language of instruction; to examine whether there exists a relationship between students' motivation and their academic achievement; to investigate the effect of students' motivation on their mother tongue (Awgni) academic achievement; and to compare mean score differences between male and female students in their motivation and academic achievement in Awgni instruction. A total of 295 subjects (164 males and 131 females) were involved in the study. A 4- point Likert scale questionnaire was used to gather data about students' motivation in their Awgni (mother tongue) instruction. Students' score on the Awgni subject was taken from the record office for students' academic achievements. The academic challenges in using Awgni as language of instruction were developed by the researcher from the literature reviews and from the experiences he has on using Awgni as a language of instruction in primary schools, and the motivation questionnaires were adapted from Gardner's motivation scale and other scales. Correlation, document analyses, regression and . . ' independent sample t-test were used for analysis. Correlation analysis depicted that motivation of students had positive correlation and significant relationships with students' mother tongue (Awgni) academic achievements. Results obtained through regression analysis displayed that 2% of the variance in achievement w9s accounted for motivational factors. Beta coefficients depicted that students' motivation had a significant effects on students' academic achievement (B=0.140, P<O. 05). The t-tesi comparisons revealed that there were no mean score differences between male and female students on their motivation and academic achievement in their Awgni (mother tongue) instruction. The attitudinal problems on the side of parents such aslack of interest to send their children to schools by assuming that mother tongue education is learning one 's own mother tongue and the pedagogic problems such as lack of teaching materials and teaching aids were found to be the major academic challenges in using Awgni as a language of instruction. Finally, it was concluded that the motivation of students had significant influence on their academic achievements and the attitudinal problems and the unavailability of teaching materials "and teaching aids have a major impact on the implementation of Awgni as a language of instruction. Prominently, these have implications for policy makers, school . administrators and teachers to pay attention to students' motivation by designing a program that focus in the important of students motivation which leads the better academic achievement of students in their mother tongue (Awgni) instruction and to focus on the academic challenges that affect